Cars as we know, were made up of a few indispensable components, an engine either up front or the rear, a transmission, and plenty of other moving components such as suspensions, axles, anti roll bars of sort. Now what if we throw out the concept of the vehicle as we know it, and think out of the box for a minute, and try to come out with something completely unconventional, yet practical in every sense? Well Michelin did just that 12 years ago, and today, coupled with Venturi, they've announced the Volage Concept. The most unique piece of innovation on this Concept, is the Michelin Active Wheel. By combining two electric engines in each wheel, one spins the wheel and the other acting as a suspension, this unique device is able to work with either a Fuel Cell or simply by an on board rechargeable battery, enabling the vehicle to omit the needs for conventional engine, transmission, radiators, engine oil pumps and just about any other conventional 'must-haves' in our current vehicles. 
The Michelin Active Wheel even has built in disc brakes, meaning the entire process of moving forward or backward, braking, and damping could be achieved in the wheel alone. This concept is groundbreaking in the sense that it frees away the front or back portion of the vehicle enabling the entire overall design of the chassis could then be dedicated for crumple zones, achieving the highest for of safety possible with current vehicle architectures. Moreover, it could also mean the freedom of simply assembling the Active Wheel on the front for a small, cheap family hatchback, or assembling on the rear for a large full size sedan, or all four wheels powered by the Active Wheel. Sounds too far fetch? Well the Volage Concept will be put into production in year 2012. I'm looking forward. Very much, and kudos to Michelin.
Image Source: NetCarShow
